Beneath the glimmering neon and amidst the razzle-dazzle of the Las Vegas Strip unfolded a chapter of racing history, one that roared onto the record books with the force of a hundred engines. Last week’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, under the auspices of the city known for its high stakes and heart-pounding excitement, has become the most gambled-upon Formula One race in the annals of sports betting.
The tarmac sizzled as the Las Vegas Grand Prix made its triumphant return after a forty-year hiatus, with the spectacle of speed and precision turning the fabled strip into a racetrack that captured imaginations worldwide. DraftKings, an online sportsbook operator, heralded the event as a paradigm shifter, marking it as the zenith of their Formula One betting as gauged by the sheer volume of bets and the total handle—the sum of money wagered.
Echoing the surprise of many was the admission that the Las Vegas Grand Prix eclipsed the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix—a previous pinnacle—in both betting categories. This revelation emerged not only from DraftKings’ coffers but from whispered confirmations amongst the gaming connoisseurs that populate Nevada’s sparkling desert gem; they too saw once-unimaginable amounts being placed on the high-octane race.
Motorsports, long dwelling in the ‘other’ shadow of the sports betting kingdom, dominated by the giant likes of football, basketball, and baseball, are now seeing Formula One edge into the spotlight. With a palpable surge in interest from bettors, the king is noticing the new courtier. The evidence is crystal clear: nine of the top-ten F1 races for DraftKings’ stakes have revved up since the dawn of the 2022 season, with the Las Vegas and Miami Grand Prix driving the charge as they fast become fixtures in the betting landscape of the United States.
Moreover, the narrative of growth finds its proof in raw data. Each one of the top ten F1 races by number of wagers on DraftKings’ platform rolled out since the year 2020, with a striking seven out of those ten happening in this very year, painting a vivid portrait of F1’s burgeoning appeal.
DraftKings, notably, accomplished this feat without a physical footprint in the Nevada desert. Its online domain became a colosseum for bettors far and wide, not requiring the bright lights of Las Vegas for validation. This achievement cements Formula One’s ascent in betting circles, all the while rumors of DraftKings’ potential entry into the Nevada market simmer in the background.
As engines cool and the dust settles on this record-smashing event, one thing roars louder than the cars on the strip: the Las Vegas Grand Prix was more than a race—it was a watershed moment for sportsbooks and bettors, a testament to the allure of Formula One, and a bet that undoubtedly paid off for the history books.
